Thanks for all the compliments on the bathroom… we took the day off and cleaned our own house today!
As I was sweeping and dusting today, I was thinking of just how I could solve Julie’s dress. I can’t say I came up with any definite solutions, but I thought I might share a few ideas…
First of all, I checked out my 1970 and 1974 pattern books…
The 1974 one is a hefty 9 pounder and is about 3″ thick… It has LOTS of ideas in it, but would you believe not a single dress with sleeves like mine… UGH! How did I go so wrong? If I had been a designer in the 1970’s, I certainly would have had one! As I was sweeping, I decided, I would get out my big book and start looking at the dresses and the first one that resembled mine, I would use the skirt on that dress to finish my dress. Well, I made it through the whole book and didn’t find anything except these 2 pictures and they aren’t even really close…
So I looked at the books again and decided to zero in on the skirt styles and see what grabbed me…
Here are 2 different short styles that I could adapt to the bodice…
This is a 4 gored skirt that could work…
I think the skirt on this pink dress with just a few gathers at the empire waist could work…
I looked up some information on the Civil War dresses and especially paying attention to the neckline designs and the sleeves… the Pagoda sleeve was popular, which is “similar” to the ruffles I have, only it was just one long sleeve with the biggest part being near the wrist. An undersleeve was always used under this sleeve… So if I kept the dress as a Civil War dress, I would have to make undersleeves to go with it.
Next, the necklines… very rarely did a Civil War dress have a square neckline… and it if did, it was always filled in with a light colored “sort of dickey” to fill in the neck area. So if I kept this as a Civil War dress, I’d have to make a pretty dickey to go with it too.
Most skirts were long and full… gathered tightly at the waist and VERY full at the bottom… no ruffles…
So, I decided I’d HAVE to make this into some kind of a 70’s dress. I took the skirt ruffles from the bodice and played around with them a bit. You will have to use your imagination with my pictures, but see if something speaks to you…
I didn’t number my pictures, but I’ll just name them 1, 2, 3, and 4…
I have one scrap of fabric that I could use to make the skirt in an A-line (or I could make it gored) and it could be tea length… (#1)
I could also shorten the A-line skirt (or make it gored) so it would look like this… (#2)
I was trying to copy the picture of the pink dress for this look… (#3)
#4 could just be a shorter ruffled skirt that’s not too full… It could hit at the knee or above it…
So now that I have totally driven you crazy with choice… here’s something I ran across that will be easy for you to like. I happened upon the newest Little Darling doll painted by Joyce Mathews (she did my Lian and Janie). This is Lorna and she’s for sale in Joyce’s Etsy shop. For a mere $1250 she can be yours! Oh, my, wouldn’t I love to have a spare $1250! Isn’t she precious. I doubt that she’s still there when you see this in the morning.
Lorna Doll painted by Joyce Mathews
Well, I better get to bed…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a quandary you have, Jeanne, trying to figure this dress out. For what it’s worth, I rather like the skirt in view 1 best. I like the view 4 skirt, also, although it might just be a little too short–doesn’t quite balance out the sleeves.
Oh, my that Joyce Matthews doll is exquisite! I’m glad I got my doll from her before the prices went into the stratosphere, though!! She did my Heather, and I just love her. There’s just something so special about her dolls.
I am really beat tonight–I spent 9 hours at the fairgrounds today. It was 4H entry day for baking and candy-making. I think I gained 10 pounds!! So much good stuff to sample!! Two things stand out: Chocolate-coconut truffles (like a Mounds bar on steroids–BEST coconut filling EVER!! and Nutella brownies. Well, you know, I had to keep sampling those to make sure the quality hadn’t changed! šš¤£š Those two won champion rosettes in their respective categories, by the way.
Time for bed! (Congrats on the successful auction, BTW.)
Here I thought we were making you go slightly crazy with all our suggestions on what to do, but now you have returned the favor!š
So, considering the different skirts, I too, like skirt #1 the best. However, it does look a bit plain, so I would put a thin black ribbon around the empire waistline and a sweet pink flower attached to it, to give it some interest and to balance the pretty sleeves. I guess I am getting ahead of myself here, when you arenāt sure of what skirt you are going to do!
What a beautiful doll! Well, I certainly donāt have a spare $1250 laying around, so she isnāt coming here!
You were right about Lorna — anyone would like her. She’s lovely.
And now, for people who haven’t checked AGPT recently, Claudie is out and a first report in says that her head is notably larger than Corinne’s, which was, in turn, larger than that of the standard AG. Comparison pictures back that up. She’s very cute, but if you want her to fit in with your collection, she might not.
One of the major contributors to AGPT says that Claudie is a doll you might want to check out in person.
A lot of the AGTP people are complaining that Claudie has a BTI bakery, but only one everyday dress. I’m encouraging Etsy seamstresses to sew everyday clothes for Claudie and have sent Jeanne a link to a 20’s paper doll. If you have family pictures from the era, you might be willing to share. Since Jeanne already has an inexhaustible collection of patterns, she should be able to come up with a half-dozen Claudie outfits in 6 weeks — if she wants to.
It looks like AG will be collaborating with Harry Potter to do an LE of Hogwarts uniforms, available Sept. 1. There’s a lot of competition for AG dollars right now.
So — if this is going to be a Julie dress, it needs to be a wonderful Julie dress. Maybe — consider an inset waist, like the one above with the slightly gathered skirt, narrow the original tiered skirt, make it midi-length, and add boots. Boulder in the 70’s was full of girls in pretty dresses breaking in hiking boots.
Add a pair of lacy socks like Rozen’s, and of course a choker, as someone mentioned yesterday, and a shoulder bag like Rozen’s. You may need a John Denver title, like Down Country Roads or Rocky Mountain High.
And start thinking about Claudie clothes. A couple of people mentioned that none of Claudie’s official outfits had dropped waists. That might be a place to start.
#2 would be my choice for Julie. I can’t tell the difference in the skirts of #1 and #2 except that #2 is getting there on the length. .However, I think the waist should be more empire, above the waist, and shorter of course. #3 looks like an old lady dress on Julie because the belt is at the waist. Maybe if it was more empire, it would fit with the sleeves, but I really don’t care for the look. #4 has way too many ruffles for me. So, #2, for me, but the bodice needs to be more fitted, it looks kind of baggy, then, the short skirt. A cute pair of Mary Janes with heels would be sweet as well. š
By the way, that first catalog photo of the girl with the side Ponytail cracked me up. I used to wear that hairstyle a lot. š
I forgot to mention earlier, but when I took at look at the dolls by Joyce Matthews, I was surprised that she had so many dolls available for sale now. I think there were five LD’s and quite a few others. So, I guess the wait would be for a custom.
I like #2 best and #1 second. I am impressed that you own those pattern catalogs; I enjoyed pouring over those. Do they still have those in sewing stores and the pattern packets?
Joyce does really beautiful eyes as did Lana. I have a few Joyce gals, but this Lorna would be a real temptation. Not going there! Still awaiting RR to show their Halloween girls, one is a Siblie with a matching costume to a big sister with the Avril face. Edās boy James was supposed to be near the end of this month.
Marilyn, thanks for mentioning Claudie. I heard another woman talking about her so I looked her up. Interesting about the expanded head size. She reminds me of a baby doll I had long ago. No doubt, you will soon be finding outfits for her on Etsy as I assume you have bought this doll? Congratulations!
Charlotte, take it easy. But boy, those brownies and truffles sound totally killer awesome. Have fun but pace yourself carefully.
No question for meā¦ love #4. It balanced out the top and she just looks like a happy 70ās girlš¤
Glad the Fair judging was fun Charlotte.. lots of sweets are always funš
Iām so glad I received my Little Darlings when they were a lower $āŗļø. I bought #1 so I could see for themā¦ then found Jeanneās site and knew I couldnāt do anything like her dresses. Then #2 with a different face and eyes came out and she was a cutie too. Then when the smiling # 3 was announced I was so excited as smiling dolls are my favorite. The Little Darlings are still my favorite dolls although the RRFF are awfully sweet too.
Jeanne, I like #1, the best, but the bodice looks a little big? I know whatever you decide, it will be beautiful.
Congratulations on your eBay auction. Wow!
Now I have to look up that Claudie doll.
I’m not weighing in on the dress. It looks like your dilemma has increased since everyone likes something different. That was my way of saying I haven’t a clue which I like best so I’m coping out.
I saw Claudie and couldn’t make up my mind about her since sometimes I think AG is trying too hard to come up with something new and different. My favorites of the 18″ are still the original crew, especially Samantha and Molly. But then I don’t collect 18″ dolls because I’d need a bigger house. I’m running out of room for the smaller dolls I do collect. Since I have another LD coming in September, another L’il Dreamer in the plans, not to mention that yesterday I bought Siblie Bailey since I thought Sydney needed a new friend, I really am running out of room.
As for the beautiful Lorna, I have the money for her but it is committed to my new serger which I’m off to buy today. I have no idea of the availability of the one I want but no one will talk to me unless I show up at the retailer in person. Since I planned on going to Bamboo Massage sometime soon anyway, I’m going to kill two birds with one stone since they are in the same neighborhood. Hopefully I will come home with the serger I want. The one I originally wanted is no longer available but has been improved upon so now I really want its successor. But they are having supply chain problems, so I won’t know until I get there if they have one for me.
Best of luck to you, Jeanne, on solving your dress dilemma. I’ll be praying for you.
I like skirt #1 the best. A ribbon around Julie’s waist would dress it up.
I do have $1250 in savings, but it’s all been earmarked for kitty check-ups, dentals, a new washer, and other house repairs.
A line skirts are definitely 70ās, but I think the sleeves overwhelm the slimness of the a line skirt. And those sleeves are so beautiful! Why donāt you just make it up with the original long ruffled skirt, and call it Jeannemarie Couture? A timeless, original design.
I’m for this idea.
Dear Jeanne, what a sweet Little Darling. Thanks for sharing the photograph.
Here’s a question from the non-sewer. Does the dress have to be from a “period;” can’t it just be a nice dress?
Dear Dorothy,
Great question. Why canāt there just be pretty dresses? Never mind era. Thanks for asking as it has crossed my mind so many times. š